AJC > Blog > Archives > 2008 > June
June 2008
Can the Braves regroup against the Phillies?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The bad news keeps coming, but, somehow, the Braves keep doing just enough to stick around.
Chipper Jones is now talking about going on the disabled list, having sat out eight games, and both Yunel Escobar and Omar Infante were also sidelined over the weekend in Toronto. Yet, amazingly, Atlanta is still within striking distance of first place, only four games out.
I know the NL East is ridiculously weak, but it’s astounding that despite the kind of season the Braves have had, they’re a good series against the Phillies away from being right back in this thing.
Of course, asking for a good series against the Phils this week is asking an awful lot of this lineup considering that Jo-Jo Reyes threw a gem yesterday and the team still managed to come away with its 23rd consecutive one-run road loss. The only trace of a silver lining around Chipper’s going on the DL would be that Corky Miller would get some company on the Braves’ bench.
So what are you looking for in this series against Philadelphia, which has gone 2-8 over its past 10 games to keep everyone in the race? (That’s in addition to hoping that Jeff Francoeur either miraculously breaks out of his season-long slump — he’s 4-for-40 with 13 strikeouts in his past 12 games — or sits for a bit after Mark Kotsay gets back and they have a little more flexibility in the outfield.)
I’ll be absolutely thrilled if the Braves can find a way to take two of three and get within three games of the Phillies.
Here are the pitching matchups:
Tuesday: Kyle Kendrick vs. Charlie Morton. In his last outing, Kendrick enjoyed the best start of his career, throwing eight shutout innings in a victory against Oakland. Meanwhile, Morton suffered another tough loss in his last start, allowing two earned runs in six innings but losing to the Brewers. In Morton’s past two starts, the Braves have scored a total of two runs while he’s been in the game.
Wednesday: Adam Eaton vs. Jorge Campillo. Eaton gave up three runs in seven innings in his previous start but was outpitched by Oakland’s Rich Harden. Campillo allowed two runs in seven innings against the Brewers last Wednesday to notch his first home win of the season.
Thursday: Brett Myers vs. Jair Jurrjens. the struggling Myers lasted only two-plus innings in his last start and couldn’t make a 5-1 lead stand up against Texas. Jurrjens, on the other hand, hasn’t allowed an earned run in 23 2/3 innings and garnered high praise from his manager and teammates last Friday, when he gave up only three singles in eight innings in Toronto.
Upcoming TV Schedule
Tuesday: vs. Phillies, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Wednesday: vs. Phillies, 7:00, FSN South
Thursday: vs. Phillies, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Friday: vs. Houston, 7:30, Peachtree TV
Saturday: vs. Houston, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Sunday: vs. Houston, 1:30, SportSouth
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Update on the Braves’ many injuries
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Happy Friday, everyone. Sorry I haven’t been around much lately; life has been more hectic than usual. I’ll be back on a more regular basis next week.
Meanwhile, I’m sure the guys enjoyed their first day off in about 2 1/2 weeks yesterday, and with all the injuries, this team definitely needed a breather. The lineup they sent out there Wednesday could have been Richmond’s.
Here’s a look at where some of the walking wounded stand and when we might get a few of them back:
Chipper Jones: Has missed five games with a strained right quad. He’s hoping to DH against Toronto and might be ready to get back out on the field next week.
Mark Kotsay: Has been out since May 26 with a lower back strain. He’s 2-for-7 in his first two rehab games in Mississippi and may come off the DL as early as Tuesday.
Martin Prado: Has been out since May 5 with a sprained left thumb. He began a rehab assignment in Mississippi yesterday, going 0-for-4. (At least he stayed in the game long enough to get four at-bats.)
Matt Diaz: Has been out since May 27, when he injured his left knee sliding into a concrete wall in Milwaukee. He’s another two or three weeks away.
Yunel Escobar: Missed four of the past five games with a hip flexor and then a shoulder injury. He’s hoping to be back this weekend.
Omar Infante: Has been nursing a pulled hamstring and is hoping to avoid the DL.
Mike Hampton: The star-crossed lefty made his second scoreless appearance for the Braves’ rookie-level Gulf Coast League team Wednesday, pitching 2 2/3 innings and giving up three hits and no walks, striking out two. He threw three shutout innings on June 21.
Here’s hoping all those timetables stay on track and the team gets more recognizable in the next week or so. But you have to hand it to the young starters who have been given the chance to shine because of the injuries and have made the most of the opportunity. Jorge Campillo, Jair Jurrjens, Jo-Jo Reyes and Charlie Morton have more than held their own during some rough stretches, and with any run support would be racking up the W’s.
Speaking of starters, here are the pitching matchups for this weekend in Toronto:
Friday: Dustin McGowan vs. Jair Jurrjens. In his last start, McGowan got bailed out by his offense after giving up four runs in five innings, while all three of Jurrjens’ runs in the six innings of his previous start were unearned and he came away with a loss.
Saturday: John Parrish vs. Tim Hudson. Parrish was called up from AAA (where he was 10-1 wth a 2.74 ERA) to fill in for Shaun Marcum (injured elbow). In his last start, Huddy finally got his first interleague win with Atlanta, throwing seven shutout innings against the Mariners.
Sunday: A.J. Burnett vs. Jo-Jo Reyes. Burnett allowed only one run in eight innings against the Reds in his last start and has given up two earned runs or fewer in six starts this year. Meanwhile, Jo-Jo is hoping to bounce back from the shortest outing of his career, when he lasted only 2 1/3 innings against the Brewers.
Upcoming TV Schedule
Friday: at Blue Jays, 7:07, SportSouth
Saturday: at Blue Jays, 1:07, SportSouth
Sunday: at Blue Jays, 1:07, SportSouth
Monday: Off-day
Tuesday: vs. Phillies, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Wednesday: vs. Phillies, 7:00, FSN South
Thursday: vs. Phillies, 7:00, Peachtree TV
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Frenchy has a new way of looking at things
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you can’t see the ball, you can’t hit the ball. Maybe the answer to Jeff Francoeur’s struggles this season is that simple.
In 26 day games, the Braves right fielder is hitting .320 (33-for-103) with five homers and 19 RBIs, but in the 50 night games so far, he’s .207 (41-for-198) with three homers and 22 RBIs. That’s a pretty dramatic difference.
And there might be a physical explanation for it. While he was playing at Class A Myrtle Beach in 2004, Francoeur was hit under the right eye with a fouled bunt attempt and he was told that there was a chance the vision in his right eye could weaken.
So Francoeur consulted a specialist and got a contact lens for his right eye.
We all know how much of baseball is mental, so even if Frenchy merely thinks it’s helping, that new lens could be just what the doctor ordered. Even though it didn’t do much good against Ben Sheets last night — I’m not sure anything would have — I’m holding out a little hope that this will help him turn things around.
Believe me, I’ve been as frustrated with his impatience and lack of discipline at the plate as anyone, but that doesn’t mean I’ve stopped rooting for him. He’s a good kid, and it’s tough watching him go through this. Plus, if he starts coming through in clutch situations, even just by making productive outs, imagine what this offense could do.
(Side note from last night’s game: Just how many innings can Jeff Bennett throw before his arm falls off? Looks like we might get to find out.)
I wasn’t able to post the pitching matchups for this series yesterday, but here they are for the remaining two games:
Tuesday: Dave Bush vs. Charlie Morton. In his last outing, Bush had a perfect game until the fifth inning and carried a no-hitter through seven, while Morton’s quality start was ruined when Jeff Ridgway gave up a three-run shot to the first batter he faced.
Wednesday: Jeff Suppan vs. Jorge Campillo. Suppan didn’t make it out of the second inning in his last start, and Campillo gave up four runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings in a loss to the Mariners.
Upcoming TV Schedule
Tuesday: vs. Brewers, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Wednesday: vs. Brewers, 1:00, Peachtree TV
Thursday: Off-day
Friday: at Blue Jays, 7:07, SportSouth
Saturday: at Blue Jays, 1:07, SportSouth
Sunday: at Blue Jays, 1:07, SportSouth
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Looking ahead to the Braves’ homestand
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I had hoped that Wednesday’s win signaled a serious turning point in the Braves’ season. Jo-Jo Reyes had yet another stellar outing, the Braves rallied to take the lead in the ninth, and Mike Gonzalez slammed the door shut, showing an intensity that this team sorely needs.
But Thursday the same old problems reared their ugly heads.
With a new-look (but somehow familiar) lineup, the Braves battled back to tie the game in the top of the ninth only to have the bullpen blow it in the bottom half. To top it off, the 5-4 loss gave them sole possession of the dubious record for most consecutive one-run losses on the road and Chipper Jones went 0-for-4 on the day to drop his average below .400 for the first time since April 12.
But there is a bright side: They won more games on this trip (four) than on any other road trip this season. In fact, if someone had told me after that dreadful sweep in Chicago that they’d go 4-6, I would have been thrilled. And, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, Chipper told his parents earlier this week that he’d be happy when he got below .400 and was no longer asked daily about accomplishing something he thinks is impossible. “Now it’s time to start a new streak,” he said.
So let’s take a cue from Chipper and look ahead to the homestand. First up is the only team that’s lost more games on the road this season than the Braves. The Mariners are in a state of complete disarray, having fired their GM earlier this week and axing their manager yesterday, but the Braves can’t afford to take them lightly.
Here are the matchups for the Mariners series:
Friday: Erik Bedard vs. Jorge Campillo. Campillo led the Pacific Coast League in ERA while in the M’s farm system in 2007 but Seattle never really gave him a chance, which led to his signing a minor league deal with the Braves last December. That turned out to be a godsend, because Campillo is 2-1 with a 2.78 ERA in his six starts this season, allowing just 10 runs in 32 1/3 innings. Meanwhile, Seattle’s big offseason signing, Bedard, has been struggling through some injuries this year and while he has a 2.95 ERA in his past four starts, his road ERA is 7.40.
Saturday: Jarrod Washburn vs. Jair Jurrjens: A skipped start (thanks to a sprained ankle) may have been just what Jair needed, because he came out firing Monday, blanking the Rockies through 7 2/3 innings for his seventh win of the year. Seattle’s Washburn held the Nationals to one run in six innings in his last start but didn’t factor in the decision.
Sunday: Carlos Silva vs. Tim Hudson: Huddy’s still looking for his first interleague win after giving up a season-high six runs in 4 1/3 innings in a loss to the Rangers on Tuesday. He’s 0-10 with a 7.82 ERA in interleague play with the Braves. Silva, another disappointing offseason acquisition, was ejected from his last start with two outs to the fifth inning against the Marlins. He’s lost eight in a row since his last win on April 17.
I’m going to stop short of predicting a sweep, but they have to take two out of three here. It’s time for the bats to get in gear so the bullpen isn’t even a factor.
By the way, if you’re heading to Turner Field during this homestand, be sure to check out the new giant Chik-Fil-A cow doing the Tomahawk Chop! See photos of it here.
Upcoming TV Schedule
Friday: vs. Mariners, 7:30, Peachtree TV
Saturday: vs. Mariners, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Sunday: vs. Mariners, 1:30, SportSouth
Monday: vs. Brewers, 7:00, FSN
Tuesday: vs. Brewers, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Wednesday: vs. Brewers, 1:00, Peachtree TV
Thursday: off-day
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Braves need consistency to be consistent
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The road-weary Braves are getting a shot in the arm today, with Mike Gonzalez due to come off the disabled list. After getting in at 3:30 a.m. before the past two games, I’m sure a good night’s sleep couldn’t hurt, either.
With all they’ve gone through on this trip — the sweep in Chicago and a Sunday night game before the one-day stopover in Colorado — it’s impressive that they still have a chance at .500 on this 10-games-in-10-days marathon.
Thanks to Carroll Rogers’ story, we know how excited Gonzalez is to be coming back, so how excited are you? I’m hoping he’s the rock the bullpen needs to anchor it and let everyone settle into specific roles, a luxury they haven’t had since Rafael Soriano and Peter Moylan went down.
The Braves have been anything but consistent this year, but it’s tough to be consistent when everyone’s role changes daily. There’s been no structure in the rotation or the bullpen and no definitive lineup, which might explain a few things.
If the young arms can keep the rotation solid from here on out, here’s hoping Gonzo can do that for the bullpen. The lineup, however, is another matter altogether.
I’ve seen several posts offering Bobby Cox a few suggestions. Since it gets juggled all the time, anyway, here’s mine — feel free to add yours:
CF Gregor Blanco
SS Yunel Escobar
3B Chipper Jones
C Brian McCann
1B Mark Teixeira
LF Brandon Jones
RF Jeff Francoeur
2B Kelly Johnson
Upcoming TV Schedule
Wednesday: at Rangers, 8:05, FSN
Thursday: at Rangers, 2:05, Peachtree TV
Friday: vs. Mariners, 7:30, Peachtree TV
Saturday: vs. Mariners, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Sunday: vs. Mariners, 1:30, SportSouth
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Youth movement trying to end Braves’ road woes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With all due respect to the veterans on the disabled list, they should take all the time they need because I’m pretty happy with these new-look Braves.
The average age of the starters coming out of spring training was 34.4, weighed down by 41-year-old John Smoltz and 42-year-old Tom Glavine (along with 35-year-old Mike Hampton, 32-year-old Tim Hudson and 22-year-old Jair Jurrjens).
The average age of the five guys who’ve given up only eight runs in 36 1/3 innings over the past five games is 26 (Hudson, Jurrjens, 23-year-old Jo-Jo Reyes, 24-year-old Charlie Morton and 29-year-old Jorge Campillo).
Having a little youth and speed in the outfield hasn’t hurt, either. I’m still not sure what Josh Anderson did to get sent back to Richmond, but Brandon Jones has certainly made a case for being with the big club, and Gregor Blanco has picked it up of late and should be given a shot at the leadoff spot.
Given the chance to play on a regular basis, these youngsters have reversed the Braves’ road woes and helped them win three of their past four games on this trip that started out so dreadfully in Chicago. And they’ve given the rest of the guys a boost, too. The bullpen sorely needed the break the starters have provided, and Jeff Francoeur even drove a ball to right field last night and got a hit with men in scoring position.
So Glavine, Hampton and Mark Kotsay shouldn’t rush themselves back. These Baby Braves are doing more than holding down the fort — they may actually be building a better one.
Upcoming TV Schedule
Tuesday: at Rangers, 8:05, Peachtree TV
Wednesday: at Rangers, 8:05, FSN
Thursday: at Rangers, 2:05, Peachtree TV
Friday: vs. Mariners, 7:30, Peachtree TV
Saturday: vs. Mariners, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Sunday: vs. Mariners, 1:30, SportSouth
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Should have known better than to ask
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You can blame me for Tom Glavine’s MRI that provided the news that he’ll be out until the All-Star break.
I should have known better than to ask if the Braves had hit rock bottom. Yes, it’s Friday the 13th, and with Glavine’s MRI pending, I should have known. Sorry.
So, settle in, Charlie Morton. And, as Chipper said recently, all the rest of the guys in Richmond had better stay on their toes.
While we wait for the table-flipping/chair-throwing tantrum or the firing or the house-cleaning trade I called for earlier, these young guys will get the chance to show what they’ve got and we’ll get to see what the future holds. Or, if things keep going this way, what July will hold.
Note: Check out this interesting read on a few parallels between Kelly Johnson’s dropped popup and Jerry Royster’s misplayed grounder in 1982.
I’m not sure you still want the upcoming TV schedule, but here it is anyway:
Friday: vs. Angels, 10:05, SportSouth
Saturday: vs. Angels, 9:05, SportSouth
Sunday: vs. Angels, 8:05, ESPN
Monday: vs. Rockies, 8:05, SportSouth
Tuesday: vs. Rangers, 8:05, Peachtree TV
Wednesday: vs. Rangers, 8:05, FSN
Thursday: vs. Rangers, 2:05, Peachtree TV
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We can only hope this is Braves’ rock bottom
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At some point, does Terry Pendleton throw his hands in the air and say enough already? It must be extraordinarily frustrating to be a hitting coach when no one listens to you.
First there was Andruw, now there’s Frenchy. Despite TP’s best efforts to get Jeff Francoeur to show some patience and hit to the right side (and not try to kill everything), the kid just doesn’t get it.
Before getting a hit in the fourth inning yesterday on a 3-1 pitch, Francoeur had been 0-for-28 in 2-0 counts and 0-for-10 in 3-1 counts. That is astoundingly bad.
And speaking of astoundingly bad, the Braves have lost six in a row and yesterday tied the 2001 Royals’ record for most consecutive one-run road losses with 21.
Here’s an idea from Mr. Chop Chick: The game checks for every ensuing one-run loss this season should be donated to charity.
The three strikeouts (two looking, one fishing) with the bases loaded and nobody out in the eighth yesterday, followed by Bobby Cox trying to stretch Blaine Boyer when he had Will Ohman ready to face the left-handed Jim Edmonds in the ninth was a microcosm of this season. I’m almost afraid to ask, but does it get worse than this?
On the bright side, I predicted that they’d win only one game in Chicago, and they’re only one game off that — the beauty of lowered expectations. This team needs something to shake it up … a table-flipping/chair-throwing tantrum, a firing, a house-cleaning trade. At this point, Pendleton might be ready to volunteer to be the guy who gets sent packing.
I’m not sure you still want the upcoming TV schedule, but here it is anyway:
Friday: vs. Angels, 10:05, SportSouth
Saturday: vs. Angels, 9:05, SportSouth
Sunday: vs. Angels, 8:05, ESPN
Monday: vs. Rockies, 8:05, SportSouth
Tuesday: vs. Rangers, 8:05, Peachtree TV
Wednesday: vs. Rangers, 8:05, FSN
Thursday: vs. Rangers, 2:05, Peachtree TV
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Have Braves lost more than a few players?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s official: Joe Simpson and I are concerned that the Braves are starting to crack.
In the fifth inning last night, Jeff Ridgway, who had just been called up from Richmond, entered the game and set the Cubs down in order for the first time all night — and got absolutely no reception in the dugout. No one even talked to him, much less gave him a high-five or a slap on the back.
That’s extremely uncharacteristic of the guys on this team, whom Joe accused of having their own individual “pity parties.”
Maybe I’m making too much out of it, but if they’ve lost the camaraderie and support that makes them a team, they’re in serious trouble. And while I can stomach losing if the guys hang together and keep laying it out on the field, it’s getting difficult to keep watching when it looks like they’re putting up minimal resistance. Those of us in Atlanta may soon envy those of you outside Peachtree TV range.
It’s up to Bobby to get in their heads and bring them back around — that’s what good managers do. (Check out Ozzie Guillen’s tirade from a couple of weeks ago and what the White Sox have done since.) And no matter how you feel about Bobby, if it were any other manager in that dugout, he would be on the hot seat on this trip, regardless of how many injuries there have been. If for no other reason than to shake the team up.
Speaking of management, I also have to ask: What the heck was up with sending down Josh Anderson, who has speed and was hitting .318, and bringing up Brandon Jones, who might have a little more pop? Is Bobby that desperate for a three-run home run?
I really hope Dave O’Brien is right when he suggested they might be showcasing Jones, because otherwise, that move is a sign that the entire organization has lost it.
Now I have to give props to a couple of posts from yesterday’s blog asking for exorcisms and rituals:
jonny: Any way you can get that fried chicken for lunch, before today’s 2:20 start?
Amy: I love the idea of a bonfire using those dark blue jerseys as kindling, and Tom Glavine will light the match. (He was wearing that jersey when he sustained the only two injuries that have put him on the DL in his career.)
Jeff321: Good idea to bring back Chief Nocahoma’s teepee!
A shout out to toon to say thanks for reminding everyone that a blog isn’t necessarily supposed to be a 2,000-word tome — no offense, DOB :-)
And to richbrave: We’ll miss you and those farm reports. Good luck with the surgeries and get well soon!
Upcoming TV Schedule
Thursday: at Cubs, 2:20, Peachtree TV
Friday: at Angels, 10:05, SportSouth
Saturday: at Angels, 9:05, SportSouth
Sunday: at Angels, 8:05, ESPN
Monday: at Rockies, 8:05, SportSouth
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Braves have to find a way to lift this curse
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What in the wide, wide world of sports is going on here? Jair Jurrjens twists an ankle leaving Wrigley last night? Unbelievable.
Do we need a live rooster to take the curse off the mound? Did they wait too long to replace the strength and conditioning coach?
I’ve been a fan for more than 30 years now (wow, does that make me feel old), and I’ve never seen a season like this. Do they even have enough warm bodies to get through nine innings, not to mention, God forbid, extras?
I don’t want to see any animals harmed in any way, but how about some sort of exorcism or good-luck ritual in the locker room before tonight’s game, just to make everyone feel better?
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Time for Bravos to let go of the past
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Injuries are a part of the game, but enough already!
John Smoltz and Peter Moylan are done for the year, Tom Glavine is on the disabled list, Rafael Soriano is a big question mark, as is Blaine Boyer, who’s pitching through knee soreness, and no one even mentions Mike Hampton anymore. And that’s just the pitching staff. (Check out the Braves’ mega-million-dollar disabled list.)
I’m not sure how we could have expected our Braves to go into Wrigley and beat the Majors-leading Cubs without their starting third baseman, center fielder or left fielder in the lineup. Then they lost Glavine in the fourth.
Now I’m not sure what to expect from them the rest of the year, because it looks as though the baseball gods are trying to tell the Braves it’s time to stop trying to hold onto the past and move on.
If they call up Charlie Morton from Richmond to fill in for Glavine, they’ll have three starters under 25 (Morton, Jo-Jo Reyes and Jair Jurrjens) and one who had thrown in all of eight Major League games before this year (Jorge Campillo, an old man at 29).
In the field, there are two All-Stars carrying the team (McCann and a hobbled Chipper), two top-tier guys who look completely lost at the plate (Mark Teixeira and Jeff Francoeur), two bench players forced into starting roles (Greg Norton and Omar Infante) and a bunch of unproven youngsters (Yunel Escobar, Kelly Johnson, Gregor Blanco and Josh Anderson).
Looking at that big picture, there’s not a quick fix for this team, so it may be time to revise my expectations for the year and get back a little of that zen-like attitude I had in the ’70s and ’80s. Before you jump all over me, I’m not saying I’m giving up on the guys, but the reality is that they’re not among the top teams in the league right now.
So I’ll kick back and root for Chipper to hit .400 while watching the young guys grow up without expecting too much and getting too frustrated, and if they come together and actually turn this thing around, I’ll be pleasantly astonished and enjoy the ride.
Easier said than done.
Upcoming TV Schedule
Wednesday: at Cubs, 8:05, FSN/ESPN
Thursday: at Cubs, 2:20, Peachtree TV
Friday: at Angels, 10:05, SportSouth
Saturday: at Angels, 9:05, SportSouth
Sunday: at Angels, 8:05, ESPN
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What’s your prediction for Braves’ road trip?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This may be a painful question, but what’s your prediction for the Braves’ 10-game road trip, which starts tonight in Chicago?
The only positive spin I can think to put on it is the idea that after they stunk up the joint so badly against the Phillies, maybe their road karma changed at the same time their home luck did. I know I’m really reaching here, but it’s possible, right?
Barring that kind of miraculous turnaround, this trip has the potential to be brutal, thanks to a make-up game with Colorado that’s wedged in the middle of an already rough schedule. But here goes:
Let’s say they take one of three from the Major League-leading Cubs (40-24), one of three from the AL West-leading Angels (39-26), top the Rockies (24-39) and take two of three from the Rangers (32-33) in blistering hot Arlington. That adds up to a 5-5 trip.
I’m not sure I honestly believe they’ll play .500 ball on this trip, but I can’t in good conscience predict anything less than that.
Here’s a look at the pitching matchups for this series:
Tuesday: Tom Glavine (2-2, 4.47) vs. Ted Lilly (5-5, 5.23). Yet another quality start from Glavine was wasted his last time out, that one by a Manny Acosta ninth-inning special.
Wednesday: Jair Jurrjens (6-3, 3.77) vs. Ryan Dempster (7-2, 2.90). On the flip side from Glavine, Jurrjens gave up 11 hits in six innings in his previous start but was picked up by plenty of run support.
Thursday: Tim Hudson (7-4, 2.86) vs. Sean Gallagher (3-2, 4.42). Hudson should have had a win Friday after giving up only one run in 7 2/3 innings, but Kelly Johnson dropped a popup with two outs in the ninth.
Upcoming TV Schedule
Tuesday: at Cubs, 8:05, Peachtree TV
Wednesday: at Cubs, 8:05, FSN/ESPN
Thursday: at Cubs, 2:20, Peachtree TV
Friday: at Angels, 10:05, SportSouth
Saturday: at Angels, 9:05, SportSouth
Sunday: at Angels, 8:05, ESPN
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Braves need to teach new dogs old tricks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I promise I’m not singling out Kelly Johnson when I ask the following question: Have the Braves’ fundamentals gone by the wayside?
That thought may have been inspired by Johnson’s dropped ball with two out in the ninth on Friday night, but it goes beyond an inability to use two hands to catch a pop-up. It’s base-running, hitting to the right side to advance runners, bunting … the whole fundamental kit and kaboodle.
The Braves are second in the National League in staff ERA and second in team average but eighth in fielding percentage and God only knows how many runners they’ve stranded in scoring position this year. I do know how many times Jeff Francoeur has come through with the bases loaded and less than two out this season: once in 12 chances. (The most opportunities anyone else has is six, so I’m thinking he might be in the wrong spot in the order.)
Frenchy’s place in the batting order is on Bobby Cox, but that’s not where I’m laying the blame for these young guys’ tough time with the basics. You shouldn’t have to teach a player how to play the game at the big-league level; that happens in Class A and Double A (if not Little League).
According to Joe Simpson, Yunel Escobar was asked to bunt all of four times during his time in the minors, and that just doesn’t seem right to me. The point of minor league ball is not to win games but to develop players. If a guy gets to the majors and can’t bunt, that’s a problem.
Chipper Jones is the most fundamentally sound Brave at the moment: He’s solid at his position, smart on the basepaths and does what it takes to advance runners. After him would be Brian McCann, who has earned the respect of his teammates — and a big payday — in only his third year in the majors.
What do those guys have in common besides knowing the game inside and out? Fathers who started teaching them the fundamentals before they were old enough to play Little League.
Here’s hoping Luis Ortiz, Sixto Lezcano, Gabriel Luckert (Gulf Coast League); Paul Runge, Carlos Mendez, Derrick Lewis (Danville); Rocket Wheeler, Rich Albert, Mike Alvarez (Myrtle Beach); and Randy Ingle, Bobby Moore, Jim Czajkowski and Angel Salazar (Rome) know what they’re doing with the next bunch of Baby Braves.
Upcoming TV Schedule
Monday: off-day
Tuesday: at Cubs, 8:05, Peachtree TV
Wednesday: at Cubs, 8:05, FSN/ESPN
Thursday: at Cubs, 2:20, Peachtree TV
Friday: at Angels, 10:05, SportSouth
Saturday: at Angels, 9:05, SportSouth
Sunday: at Angels, 8:05, ESPN
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Singles Night lures the ladies to the Ted
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The name is Bonds. Jane Bonds. My mission was to infiltrate the Braves Singles Night and report back to Chop Chick, who, by virtue of Mr. Chop Chick, was disqualified from Singles Night.
The Braves’ singles event was held on a patio on the Golden Casino level, behind the Chop House in center field. If you were at the bar, and that definitely was the most popular place to be since every ticket came with two complimentary drinks, you couldn’t see the field. Not good. At least there was some shade to give you some relief from the 80-something degree heat.
Women showed up thinking the odds were in their favor. How could you go wrong at a baseball game? But no. At one point, I counted the people who were sitting at tables on the patio near the bar. Three-to-one ratio. And based on the way some of the women were dressed, they could have cared less whether Chipper has been hitting above .400.
About that. One of my pet peeves is when my gender dresses inappropriately for a baseball game. Skirts or dresses and heels are acceptable only if you were invited to the game that day and didn’t have time to run home and change after work. Yes, it was a dating event, but if a guy doesn’t like you when you’re dressed down for a ballgame, do you really want him?
When I got there, it looked more like a junior high dance, with the women sticking with their girlfriends and the men talking among themselves. But as it got closer to first pitch, and as people used up those complimentary drink tickets, they began to interact more.
If you weren’t happy with the selection of singles at the game, the Braves provided other options. You could film a profile for Comcast’s Dating On Demand or sign up for Eight at Eight. And if you didn’t want to pony up the money for Eight at Eight, you had the chance to win a gift certificate. Throughout the two-hour event, a DJ drew names for door prizes between spinning oldies.
I didn’t find anyone I was interested in; in fact, the most action I got was when a guy who had obviously used up his drink tickets, and then some, threw his arm around me to show me the Teixeira bobblehead he had just won. Had I been smart, I would have tried to convince him to give it to me so the night wouldn’t have been a total wash.
Actually, saying it was a total wash is unfair. I aborted my mission after the fourth inning to go hang with my married friends. And then in the sixth, it happened. Chipper came up to bat. He took two balls, then stepped out of the box for a minute. And you just kind of knew it was going to happen. When he stepped back in, he hit his 400th home run, a shot to right field. Definitely a happy ending.
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Chipper’s having himself a season
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With a solo shot in the sixth inning last night, the Braves’ third baseman took a big step toward replacing the question mark associated with the words “Chipper” and “Hall of Fame” with a period.
As Jon Sciambi would say, Chipper had himself a night, hitting his 400th career homer while going 4-for-5 and raising his average to an incredible .418. He’s the third Brave in the 400-homer club (Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews are the others) and the fourth active player with at least a .300 career average, 400 homers and 1,300 RBIs, (Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez and Frank Thomas).
Chipper has had his ups and downs with the fans here (last night’s was only the second curtain call of his career), but surely even his biggest critics have to admit that he’s doing something special this year. And this quote from Dave O’Brien’s story in which he says he wants to retire a Brave rather than go for the big money in the free-agent market is definitely refreshing: “I’m never going to turn my nose up at $11 million. I understand that I’ve had the luxury of playing in the same place for a long time, for the same manager. I made my money.”
He may come off as a good ole boy who rubs some people the wrong way, but he’s the guy the writers go to when they want a straight answer and a thoughtful quote — he’s well-spoken and a lot smarter than some want to believe. And this year, he’s really got it going on.
I’m one Braves fan who’s happy to see him having such a great year and finally getting some of the national attention and respect he’s earned.
On an unrelated but extremely interesting note, the team’s strength and conditioning coach, Frank Fultz, has been replaced. According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, minor league strength and conditioning coordinator Phil Falco was told about his promotion Tuesday night and Fultz made his decision after a meeting with Braves officials on Wednesday morning.
Hmmmm … That doesn’t sound a lot like the “resignation” that GM Frank Wren called it, does it?
Have a great weekend, everybody! Go Braves!
Upcoming TV Schedule
Friday: vs. Phillies, 7:30, Peachtree TV
Saturday: vs. Phillies, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Sunday: vs. Phillies, 1:30, SportSouth
Monday: off-day
Tuesday: at Cubs, 8:05, Peachtree TV
Wednesday: at Cubs, 8:05, FSN/ESPN
Thursday: at Cubs, 2:20, Peachtree TV
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Picking up the pieces after Smoltz’s bombshell
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Manny Acosta’s blown save yesterday — his second in a row — didn’t do much to inspire confidence after John Smoltz’s shoulder surgery bombshell. Fortunately, though, help is on the way.
Rafael Soriano, who wasn’t available yesterday because he’d been used three out of four days in his first week back from the disabled list, is looking better and better, and if all goes well with Mike Gonzalez’s exam today, he’ll move one step closer to a return with another rehab assignment in Richmond.
I’m extremely bummed for Smoltz — I really hope he can come back and close out his career on his own terms — but I’m not that concerned about the bullpen in his absence, especially since he’d come out of the ‘pen only once this year and he’ll still be around to serve as veteran leader/clubhouse spokesman.
Entering play yesterday, the pitching staff had the lowest ERA in the National League at 3.58, and the bullpen was third in the NL at 3.20. (For what it’s worth, I don’t think Roger McDowell gets enough credit for helping to pull that off.) And those numbers have been put together without Gonzalez at all and without Soriano for a long stretch.
So now that the dust has settled and we have to wish Smoltz the best and get on with the season, what effect do you think his absence will have? How much confidence do you have in this staff to get it done without him?
By the way, looking well into the future, it’s MLB Draft Day. The Braves don’t have a first-round pick this year, but several Georgia high schoolers are expected to go early, including Tim Beckham and Buster Posey. Check out AJC.com’s MLB Draft coverage.
Upcoming TV Schedule
Thursday: vs. Marlins, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Friday: vs. Phillies, 7:30, Peachtree TV
Saturday: vs. Phillies, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Sunday: vs. Phillies, 1:30: SportSouth, TBS
Monday: off-day
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Braves can see top of NL East from here
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If the Braves had been playing in Florida last night, Dan Uggla’s ninth-inning drive down the left-field line would have been fair by inches instead of foul by inches, and the game would have ended with another late-inning collapse.
But because they were at the Ted, it was foul, giving Yunel Escobar the chance to be the unlikely hero with his first career walk-off homer, a two-run shot in the 10th. Escobar’s blast also bailed out John Smoltz, who gave up two runs in the ninth in his first bullpen appearance since 2004.
The Bravos are now 23-7 at home and a Major League-worst 7-21 on the road. But the really amazing thing is that if that trend continues during this homestand (and with breaks like they got last night, it looks like it should), they could actually head out on the road in first place next week.
Atlanta trails Philadelphia by 3 1/2 games and Florida by 2. The Braves have three left with the Marlins in this series, so they could pass them and potentially head into the weekend series with the Phillies less than three games out of first. They’ll have to play their butts off to move into first, but we know they can do that at home.
Here are the pitching matchups for the rest of the series:
Tuesday: Jorge Campillo vs. Burke Badenhop — Campillo has given up only one earned run in the 15 innings he’s thrown since moving into the rotation on May 20.
Wednesday: Tom Glavine vs. Mark Hendrickson — Glavine got a no-decision after allowing only two runs over six innings in his last start, against the Reds on Friday.
Thursday: Jair Jurrjens vs. Ricky Nolasco — Here’s hoping Jurrjens can bounce back from his roughest start of the year on Saturday, when he gave up six runs on nine hits and six walks in 4 1/3.
I think they stand a good chance of winning two of the next three and positioning themselves well against the Phillies, which (provided Tim Hudson’s hammy is OK) could give them a shot at first.
How do you think this homestand will play out? Can the Bravos actually take over first place or is that too much to ask, even with their incredible play at home?
Upcoming TV Schedule
Tuesday: vs. Marlins, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Wednesday: vs. Marlins, 1:00, Peachtree TV
Thursday: vs. Marlins, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Friday: vs. Phillies, 7:30, Peachtree TV
Saturday: vs. Phillies, 7:00, Peachtree TV
Sunday: vs. Phillies, 1:30, SportSouth/TBS
Permalink | Comments (66) | Post your comment | Categories: Chop Chick
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